Yesterday we finally got to celebrate our “family day”. It’s the first time we’ve all been together since Thanksgiving and on our actual anniversary (which we consider the day we became a family) we were in Philadelphia. I had done all of my shopping for it (I thought) before Thanksgiving but then last week I got a wild hair and went and bought more stuff but the thing I was most proud of was what I got my son in law.

I consider myself somewhat witty (of course my ex sister in law used to affectionately – I think – call me a half-wit) and I thought I came up with the perfect gift. Since he is getting his doctorate one of #1’s friends calls him “Dr. Dick”. His parents bought him a beer making kit for Christmas so I came up with a brilliant (I use that term very loosely) idea. Here is what I got him:

SIL's Beer glasses for his home made brew

close up of the inscription

In case you can’t read it clearly it says “Dr. Dick’s Brew – good for what ales you”. Get it? Since he’s a research scientist I wanted it to sounded scientific or medicinal so it’s like those old traveling medicine show potions? And since they are for beer it’s good for what ALES you as opposed to what ails you! I thought it was rather clever myself. I think he liked them. I got 4 of them engraved so when he starts brewing his beer they will have glasses for them and another couple.

And of course we finally got to give the girls the Suess shirts we bought them when we went to Universal back in September. It’s been about to kill me not showing them or giving it to them. It’s hard for me to keep surprises so I had to really contain myself with those. I really wanted to give them to them on Thanksgiving but hubby made me wait. Here’s a picture of them in their shirts:

#1, #2 and #3 in their respective tshirts

and again

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Can I return this merchandise?

#2 and #3 left fairly early since it was supposed to start snowing around 9 p.m. and loosely I think the plan was that #1 and her husband were going to get up this morning and head to Kennesaw to see SIL’s brother and then head back to Nashville on Tuesday morning since #1 is supposed to work. I don’t think that’s going to happen. This is what we woke up to this morning:

our back patio

My rock garden turned snow garden

Stinkbutt trying to find somewhere to drop her stinkbomb

The front of the subdivision

It’s not so much the snow, although Hotlanta is always woefully unprepared for any amount of snow. There two guys on the back of the pickup with shovels and salt shakers have been working overtime. It’s more the fact that we got about ½ of ICE on top of the snow. Walking anywhere outside is like trying to walk across an ice skating rink with the soles of your shoes greased. Hubby and I did walk to the front of our subdivision….very gingerly. You had to make sure to slam your heels into the ground first and then slam your walking stick into the ground before you took the next step. It was a lesson in balance. I am not the most graceful person in the world and the fact that I stayed upright was a darn near miracle!

Hubby is on vacation this week and I could tell this morning that he was chomping at the bit to try to go to work because he was afraid they wouldn’t show up or something would go wrong. I told him to pretend like we were on a cruise or in Virginia. In other words, he was TOTALLY inaccessible. I don’t think it made him happy but thankfully his company was smart enough to close all their restaurants in this area. I mean, seriously… if they could have gotten open, who the heck is stupid enough to try to drive to a restaurant in these treacherous conditions? I mean really? I think every interstate that runs through Atlanta is shut down completely at some point in the metro area. How much plainer can the authorities be than to tell people to STAY OFF THE ROADS??? Some people obviously do NOT listen.

I really don’t think #1 and her husband will be able to leave before Wednesday unless by some miracle everything thaws out tomorrow. Wednesday I think is the only day that is supposed to be above freezing all week. The biggest obstacle will be getting the first mile away from our house. I seriously doubt that they can get out of our driveway right now but if they could, our street is uphill. Then to the front of the subdivision is all downhill but is like a sheet of ice. From there they would either have to turn right and after about 50 yards there are about 3 hairpin turns, uphill, which hardly ever see the sun so those would be almost impassable. Or they could go straight across to the new part of the subdivision which would be even less traveled and have less turns but bigger hills. Or they could turn left and have about 2 or 3 hairpin turns going downhill followed by a long straight stretch uphill. I guess we didn’t give a lot of thought to how this area was going to be in winter since when we moved here it was summertime!

I don't think they'd make it going this way!

I don't think they'd make it this way either.

But it’s all good. We have plenty of good food, we’ve got sweet tea, we’ve got bottled water, we’ve got wine, beer and margarita mix! And so far we’ve still got running water and electricity and TV although the satellite has been acting a little weird this evening. So, if you don’t have to go out…. Don’t. I know I won’t be. It’s dangerous out there yall! Stay home and stay warm and dry and have one on me!

But they are trying to open today and even though he’s on vacation his boss is giving him a hard time about trying to get into work. We can’t even get out of our driveway and the interstates are closed so I don’t know how he thinks he’s supposed to get there! ARGH!